Scrapter oxalensis, Kuhlmann, 2025

Scrapter oxalensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2877519D-52EF-4EBA-8AD7-B96FE1B9016D

Figs 2–3 View Fig View Fig , 7–9 View Fig View Fig View Fig , 23–28 View Fig View Fig View Fig View Fig View Fig View Fig

Diagnosis

The female of S. oxalensis sp. nov. can be separated from that of all other species in this group by the following character combination: scutellum relatively large (slightly longer and broader), flat and dull ( Fig. 7D View Fig ), propodeum dorsolaterally (lateral to the matt propodeal triangle) very finely shagreened and matt ( Fig. 7D View Fig ), hair on posterior surface of propodeum longer than length of basal area of propodeum ( Fig. 7D View Fig ), foreleg blackish-brown, disc of T2 finely and sparsely punctate, apical tergal depressions narrow, brownish translucent without reddish discoloration of the adjacent apical area of the disc ( Fig. 7B View Fig ). Females of S. oxalensis and S. oxaloides sp. nov. are very similar but the former has slightly broader apical tergal depressions ( Fig. 7B View Fig ) and the basal area of propodeum shows slightly sparser and coarser reticulation ( Fig. 7D View Fig ).

The male is characterized by propodeum densely covered with thick, plumose hair of ± equal length ( Fig. 8B View Fig ), foreleg completely dark brown to blackish, sometimes to a small extent distitarsus and apical parts of mediotarsi orange-brown ( Fig. 8A View Fig ), hind tibia apicomedially moderately swollen, hairs apically on inner side long ( Fig. 9A View Fig ), S3–S5 with sparse apical hair fringes ( Fig. 8D View Fig ), genitalia as in Fig. 9B View Fig .

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to the specific host plants of the genus Oxalis ( Oxalidaceae ) of this bee species.

Type material (137 specimens)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • ♂; Nieuwoudtville , Hantam Botanical Garden, Renosterveld; 700 m a.s.l.; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 15 May 2013; M. Kuhlmann leg.; SANC. GoogleMaps

Paratypes

SOUTH AFRICA • 6 ♂♂; 12 km NW of Nieuwoudtville, Farm Avontuur , Renosterveld along Pad; 770 m a.s.l.; 31°15′27″ S, 19°03′38″ E; 17 May 2013; M. Kuhlmann leg.; NHML GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 31 May 2013; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 4 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 31 May 2013; M. Kuhlmann leg.; NHML GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 11 Jun. 2013; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 17 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; NHML GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Farm Glen Lyon , Renosterveld; 700 m a.s.l.; 31°24′42″ S, 19°09′00″ E; 25 Aug. 2006; K. Timmermann leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Nieuwoudtville , Glen Lyon, Renosterveld; 700 m a.s.l.; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 11 Sep. 2003; M. Kuhlmann leg.; NHML GoogleMaps • 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 30 May 2004; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 2 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; SANC GoogleMaps • 5 ♀♀, 26 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; NHML GoogleMaps • 1 ♀, 12 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 31 May 2004; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 4 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; SANC GoogleMaps • 7 ♀♀, 14 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; NHML GoogleMaps • 2 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 11 Aug. 2004; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 6 ♀♀; Nieuwoudtville , Farm Glen Lyon, Renosterveld; 700 m a.s.l.; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 7 Aug. 2004; M. Kuhlmann leg; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; NHML GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 18 Aug. 2004; M. Kuhlmann leg.; SANC GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Nieuwoudtville , Flower Reserve East; 735 m a.s.l.; 31°21′55″ S, 19°08′52″ E; 10 Aug. 2004; M. Kuhlmann leg.; NHML GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 1 Sep. 2002; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂; Nieuwoudtville , Hantam Botanical Garden, Renosterveld; 700 m a.s.l.; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 15 May 2013; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 2 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; SANC GoogleMaps • 6 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; NHML GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 23 May 2013; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 3 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; NHML GoogleMaps .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 7–8 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Integument black, except part of mandibles dark reddish-brown. Face sparsely covered with relatively long, greyish, erect hair ( Fig. 2 View Fig ). Clypeus strongly convex with fine and very sparse (i=2–5 d) punctation; surface between punctures smooth and shiny ( Fig. 2 View Fig ). Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna dorsally dark brown, ventrally dark yellow.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegulae brownish. Mesoscutal disc between punctures reticulate and slightly matt to shiny; disc very densely (i= 0.5–1d), sometimes sparser (i=2–3 d), and relatively coarsely punctate ( Fig. 7C View Fig ). Metanotum slightly shorter than basal area of propodeum, apically with narrow carinate depression ( Fig. 7D View Fig ). Propodeum on basal half medially finely but distinctly carinate ( Fig. 7D View Fig ). Propodeum with relatively dense, apically long and laterally short; mesoscutum with short and sparse; scutellum, metanotum and mesepisternum with sparse, greyish to yellowish, erect hair ( Fig. 7A View Fig ).

WINGS. Slightly yellowish-brown; wing venation and stigma brown.

LEGS. Integument black; fore and mid tarsi sometimes reddish-brown, especially distally. Vestiture and scopa greyish to brown.

METASOMA. Integument black to dark reddish-brown; apical margins of terga broadly yellowish translucent ( Fig. 7B View Fig ). Disc of T1 with very few, very short, greyish-white, erect hairs; following terga with increasingly more and longer, but still short and few, greyish-white, erect hairs; apical tergal hair bands missing on all terga ( Fig. 7B View Fig ). Prepygidial and pygidial fimbriae greyish to slightly brownish. T1 and T2 very shallowly, indistinctly, sparsely and finely punctate; T3 and T4 very finely but relatively densely (I = 1–2d) punctate; between punctures shagreened and slightly matt to shiny; apical tergal depressions finely sculptured and slightly matt to shiny ( Fig. 7B View Fig ).

Male

BODY LENGTH. 7–8 mm.

HEAD. Head as long as wide. Integument black, except mandible partly dark reddish-brown. Face covered with long, silvery-white, erect hair. Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna dorsally brown, ventrally dark yellow ( Fig. 3 View Fig ).

MESOSOMA. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures reticulate, slightly matt; disc finely and relatively densely (i =1–1.5 d) punctate. Basal area of propodeum ± triangular, distinctly covered with carinae that cover the majority of its surface ( Fig. 8B View Fig ). Mesoscutum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with long, greyish, erect hair; scutellum, metanotum and propodeum covered with long, greyish to yellowish, erect hair ( Fig. 8A View Fig ).

WINGS. Slightly yellowish-brown; wing venation brown; stigma light yellowish-brown.

LEGS. Integument black; fore femora apically dark yellowish-brown, fore tibia anteriorly dominantly yellowish-brown; all tarsi sucessively more yellowish brown distally. Hind tibia inside subapically broadened with a tuft of long hair ( Fig. 9A View Fig ). Vestiture greyish-white.

METASOMA. Integument black to dark reddish-brown, apical margins of terga broadly translucent yellow to slightly yellowish-brown ( Fig. 8C View Fig ). Discs of T1–T4 covered with short, greyish, erect hair; following terga with increasingly longer hair; apical tergal hair bands missing on all terga ( Fig. 8C View Fig ). Terga finely shagreened and slightly matt to shiny ( Fig. 8C View Fig ). T1 impunctate or almost impunctate, following terga very finely and relatively densely (i= 1–1.5 d) punctate ( Fig. 8C View Fig ). Apical tergal depressions broad, very finely shagreened and slightly matt. S2-S5 especially laterally with sparse but very long apical hair tufts ( Fig. 8D View Fig ).

TERMINALIA. Genitalia ( Fig. 9B View Fig ), S7 ( Fig. 9C View Fig ) and terminal plate of S8 ( Fig. 9D View Fig ) as illustrated.

Distribution

Only recorded from the Bokkeveld Plateau (Northern Cape Province) and potentially endemic to this region.

Floral hosts

Oxalidaceae : yellow flowering Oxalis spec. , O. pes-caprae , O. massoniana T.M.Salter var. flavescens .

Seasonal activity

May–September.